


Familial Fractures

by ApplePieThatsFrickingWorthIt



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: And Failing, And straight up resentment and anger, Diego Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Diego Hargreeves is Bad at Feelings, Drug Abuse, Drug Addict Klaus Hargreeves, Drug Addiction, Dysfunctional Family, Family Reunions, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Needs Help, Klaus Hargreeves Whump, Pre series, Protective Diego Hargreeves, She's Trying Her Best, Vanya Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Vanya's book causes some tensions, everyone is trying their best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:35:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23429326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApplePieThatsFrickingWorthIt/pseuds/ApplePieThatsFrickingWorthIt
Summary: Vanya finds a drugged out Klaus in the street near her house, not knowing what to do and with little other option she calls for Diego's help. The three have not seen each other since Vanya's book was published and the siblings have a lot of feelings to air out, for better or for worse.
Relationships: Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves
Comments: 18
Kudos: 308





	Familial Fractures

**Author's Note:**

> Hi so this just came to me and as we are on lockdown I decided it was a good idea to just dedicate the last however many hours to it and here we are.   
> Diego is pretty harsh to Vanya sometimes but also I wanted to give a little into how the book might have actually really hurt the other siblings without Vanya's intention. Given Diego's very clear anger in the first episode he seemed the logical mouth piece. 
> 
> I really hope you enjoy! If you do a kudos or a comment would really make my day! Hope everyone is safe and doing well xx

Vanya hurried along the dark streets, holding her violin tightly to her body like a shield. It was cold, pitch black. She knew exactly what sort of evil lurked in the darkness of the streets, she had grown up watching her siblings battle it on TV. 

She hadn’t seen them in a while now; she wasn’t sure if any of them would want to see her again. They didn’t seem that keen before the book, so now…

The street towards her building was narrow, almost an alleyway, certainly not the ideal root this late at night, but the fastest by far. A little way down she became aware of breathing, echoing in the darkness. Without missing a beat she wrapped her fingers around her keys, balling her hand into a fist. The breathing was laboured, matched with mumbling. The closer she got, the more lax her grip on her eyes; this didn’t sound like any robber or rapist. The sound was coming from a figure, hunched on the ground. Their clothing torn and mud-stained, the shirt seemingly several sizes too small. Suddenly an awfully familiar feeling struck her, dropping into her stomach. The scrawny limbs, the mop of brown hair, the tattoo on the inside wrist. The Umbrella Academy signature. 

How the mighty fall. 

“Klaus?” She whispered cautiously. He didn’t respond, not exactly, just continued muttering erratically to himself. 

“Klaus, Klaus it’s Vanya. Are you okay?” She tried again but to no avail. She had seen him out of it before, back when they were teenagers, she had heard him screaming through the walls and sometimes held him when he cried. But this was different, he was like a wild animal, she didn’t know how to approach him for fear of spooking him, activating fight or flight. 

It was times like this she found herself confronted by how alone she was. She had no partner to call upon, no friends, and her family… her family. 

She looked at her brother, broken on the ground. She could neither leave him, nor carry him with her. She was left with one option, one she was sure she would come to regret. 

  
  
  


Fifteen minutes later the dark car pulled into the narrow road, headlights blinding her. The dark figure emerged from the car, moving silently towards her. 

“Where is he?” 

No hello, no family reunion, just straight to it. She supposed she couldn’t really blame him.

She moved aside, revealing the shape of their brother. 

“Klaus?” Diego’s voice softened slightly as he approached, kneeling down. Klaus flinched at his touch, cowering away, no sign of recognition. 

“It’s okay bro, it’s Diego.” 

The name, a slight hint of calm in him. 

“Come on, let’s go get warm huh?” He said, effortlessly scooping Klaus into his arms. He seemed to struggle a second, before accepting his fate and relaxing into Diego’s grip. 

“Which way?” He asked, his voice gruff again. Vanya pointed, beginning to lead the way. They were silent a moment, heading towards the apartment building. As they neared the door, Diego piped up again. 

“You sure you couldn’t have carried him? He’s like a rag doll.” 

“Yeah well, I’m only human aren’t I, so.” She hadn’t meant to snap, to come off as argumentative, it just...came out. 

A silence fell again as Vanya opened the door to the building, holding it as Diego carried Klaus through and up the stairs. It occurred to her this was the first time he was seeing where she lived, and that she had no idea where he lived. 

“Lay him on the couch.” She said, flicking the lights on and placing her violin in the corner. 

The way Diego carried their brother, lowering him down softly so as not to jolt him, it was the most vulnerable display of affection she had seen from him in years. It softened her to him again for a second, that glimpse of the quiet little boy still underneath the scowl and black leather. 

“Will he be okay?” She asked cautiously. 

“Bad trip, he should be okay in a few hours, we just need to keep an eye on him. Hey buddy?” He addressed Klaus then, putting on a cheery voice. The response was minimal. 

“Do you want to-”

“I’ll stay with him till he wakes.” Diego cut in before she could finish and she nodded tightly. 

“Of course.” She whispered, hovering awkwardly. “I’ll put the kettle on.”

  
  


The two of them sat in awkward silence, the only sound was Klaus’s deranged chatter, under his breath, erratic and frightened. His eyes haunted, curling himself into the sofa as far as he could. Whenever he raised his voice or lashed out Diego would be there, trying to calm him. 

“No! Please! Let me out! Let me out!” Klaus cried, whimpering. 

“Klaus? Klaus, it isn’t real buddy.” Diego said, reaching out a hand towards their brother. He jolted at the touch at first shrinking back. “It’s Diego, you’re safe.” 

Klaus allowed Diego to take his hand, the cogs turning in his brain visible in his eyes as he tried to process reality from fiction. Once he had settled on an answer he pulled Diego to him, trying to bury himself in the warmth of his arms. He was still whimpering, crying into Diego’s lap. 

“Please, please don’t let him take me back there. Please!” He begged. 

Diego held him, promising over and over again. As many times as it took for Klaus to stop shaking. Eventually, he had cried himself out, exhaustion taking him, falling limp in Diego’s arms. 

Vanya had just watched it all, stunned into silence. She took a sip of her now stone cold tea. 

“He’s through the worst of it, just needs sleep now.” Diego said, quietly so as not to wake him. 

“You...you're good at...at well...this.” She said, stumbling over her phrasing. 

Diego didn’t look at her. 

“Yeah well, I’ve had practice. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve pulled him out the gutter. Doubt it will be the last.” He muttered darkly. 

“Oh.”

“To be honest, I’m surprised this is the first time you’ve found him, most of the city certainly already has.” 

“Oh well I...I don’t really get out that much.” 

“Ah. Locked up in your little writers den huh?” There was a venom to the words. He looked at her finally, and she wished he hadn’t. 

She was sure her cheeks had flushed in embarrassment. Diego had never been able to make her feel how she did around their father before. She wasn’t sure if that would bring him enough joy to outweigh his hatred of being anything to do with the old man, and she didn’t want to know the answer. 

“No it’s okay, I get it, you didn’t owe us anything, might as well make a few bucks huh?” 

“Diego, it really wasn’t like that-” 

“Sure it wasn’t. I’m sure you selling our lives was out of love yeah?” 

She didn’t have a rebuttal, she just sat there, dropping into silence. 

“Did you not see the rumours it put in the paper about Allison? The shit they wrote about Klaus? It hurt him you know. And to read about Ben like that again…” He paused, shaking his head. “You know, they read it - the others at the police academy? They would stutter over me when I spoke.” 

Vanya’s eyes had welled up a little, she couldn’t bring herself to look at him. 

“I’m sorry. I never...that’s not what I wanted I just…” 

“You wanted the spotlight for once huh? How’d that turn out for you?” 

She didn’t have a reply. Not one that needed to be said. 

“You think you’re ordinary but really, you’re just as fucked up as the rest of us Vanya.” 

“I’m sorry Diego.” She said simply, looking up at him again. It was all she had. He held her gaze for a while, in silence. 

“Huh.” 

That was the end of it. Diego let it drop and Vanya didn’t want to give him reason not to. She wanted to go to bed, but she didn’t want to leave him, leave him alone to take the burden. So they sat there, in silence until the sun came up. 

  
  


Eventually Klaus began to stir in Diego’s arms, jolting him out of a doze. 

“Klaus?” Diego muttered groggily. 

“Ugh, Ben? What? Where are we?” Klaus muttered, rubbing his eyes with a groan. 

“Klaus, it’s Diego.” Wide awake now. 

Klaus took a second to compute this. 

“Diego? Mi hermano!” 

“We’re at Vanya’s place.” Diego said and Klaus frowned. 

“Hey.” Vanya said, her voice sounding small. 

“Sis!” 

Vanya felt herself crumble slightly at the tone of his voice, she had been so ready for him to hate her, but he greeted her as though nothing had happened. 

“How are you feeling?” She asked and he chuckled a little. 

“Aw, like crap, what happened?” He asked, sitting up slowly. 

“Bad trip. Vanya found you. Idiot.” Diego couldn’t help the jab, he was battling between relief and despair at his brother. 

“Ah.” Klaus chuckled nervously. “Family reunion though hey! Look at us!” He changed the subject swiftly, not reading the awkward tension in the room. 

“ _ Klaus _ -” Diego began, his tone firm now. 

“Oh wait, God this isn’t another intervention is it?” 

Diego gritted his teeth. 

“Klaus, you cannot keep doing this.” 

“Ugh, Christ if anyone reads me a poem about their feelings I’m leaving.” 

“ _ Klaus!” _ The Diego of last night was gone, replaced with frustration and anger at his brother. Klaus seemed to know better than to push it any further. 

“Look, it was a bad batch! I’m fine!”

“We can’t keep pulling you out of gutters, Klaus.” 

“Hey, that’s your choice.” 

Diego glared at him so harshly it rendered him silent. 

“We are worried Klaus.” Vanya put in, sincerely. Klaus smiled sadly. 

“I’m flattered, but really, I’m fine.” 

“Look, I’ve got my car outside, I think it's best for everyone if I book you into a facility.” Diego said, matter of factly. Klaus groaned. 

“Christ, not this again, Diego anyone with a brain will tell you rehab only works if you  _ want _ to be sober.”

“So you want to be like last night? Klaus you were petrified!” 

“A...blip. Bad trip, like you said.”

“Klaus, you don’t know until you try.” Vanya said and Klaus laughed. 

“Oh yeah? How many times does that apply for? You know I’ve practically got my own bunk reserved? Home from home.” There was a slight harshness behind his usually playful air for a moment.

“It’s not funny.” Diego muttered and Klaus rolled his eyes.

“Whatever, this has been lovely but it’s time for breakfast. I’m feeling eggs, or maybe waffles? Maybe both? Huh who knows, new day, anything can happen!” He was on his feet in a blink, moving towards the door. 

“Oh, Vanya, could you, maybe not mention this in your next book? Doesn’t look so great for me in court you know.” 

Vanya blushed red again. 

“Sorry.” She whispered and he smiled softly. 

“Well, till the next little gathering, love ya!” He called, darting quickly out of the door. 

“Klaus!” Diego called, barrelling out after him. 

Vanya just watched, not knowing what else to do. She could follow, but she knew she wouldn’t have been able to keep up, she doubted Diego would get his way anyway. It was best if she just stayed away, she imagined that was something she and Diego could agree on. 

As the footsteps faded into the distance she closed the door, suddenly aware of how empty her flat was. 

“Son of a bitch.” She muttered, noticing her purse gone from the shelf by the door. Klaus always had been quick and slight of hand. She sighed, settling back into her chair, exhausted. She could see her bookshelf in front of her, the spine of her book starring down on her. She approached it slowly, drawing it out and weighing it over in her hands a moment. 

She walked through to the bedroom, opening a draw and shoving the book to the back, buried under an old jumper.  _ Out of sight, out of mind, _ she thought as she crawled into bed, trying to turn back the clock a few hours, back to the blissful ignorance of the day before. Before she had to feel Diego’s stare, before she had to hear Klaus whimper, before her book had felt like a burning hole tucked away in the draw; the fire from it threatening to expand continuously, engulfing her life in the flames. 


End file.
